Ex-Fish and Wildlife employee found guilty of rape, burglary

Prosecutors allege he broke into the home of a co-worker after a party and raped her while she slept.

  • By Wire Service
  • Wednesday, January 24, 2018 5:37pm
  • Northwest

Associated Press

OLYMPIA — A jury has found a former top staffer at Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife guilty of rape and burglary in connection with the rape of a co-worker in 2014.

The News Tribune reported Gregory Schirato was found guilty Wednesday of second-degree rape and first-degree burglary in Thurston County Superior Court.

Thurston County prosecutors allege the former agency division leader broke into the home of a co-worker after a holiday party and raped her while she slept. Schirato was arrested four months later.

Court documents show the alleged victim went to a party Dec. 17, 2014, and returned home intoxicated.

She said she woke up the next morning to find her clothes undone and a door window broken.

Investigators say they linked Schirato to the incident through DNA evidence.

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